Monday, July 21, 2014

Texas Day 1 - Bentsen

Leo and I have come to Texas for a week to celebrate his 21st and his 1st class graduation. Texas is one of the world's great birding locations, but not generally recommended during July as (a) there isnt much migration going in (b) it aint half hot.

Nonetheless we're here and we'll make the most of it.

First stop is McAllen close to the Rio Grande.

We joined the morning bird walk at Bentsen World Birding Centre, where the lead park biologist Melissa Chadwick took us on a fascinating tour. We saw about 34 different types of bird (all listed below) but the show stopper was seeing a Diamond Backed Rattlesnake!

After the bird walk, we went to the nearby World Butterfly Centre who were having their bi-annual count, so 2 expert guys were there and kindly showed us some of the astonishing variety that visit this area.

Texas Spiny Lizard

Buff-bellied Hummingbird

Golden Fronted Woodpecker

Plain Chacalaca

Mourning Dove

Greater Roadrunner

Green Jay

Long Billed thrasher

Western Diamond Backed Rattlesnake

Whip Tail Lizard

Northern Cardinal (Female)

Green Jay

Altamira Oriole

Blue Spiny Lizard

Clay Coloured Thrush

Butterflies

- Giant Swallowtail

- Large Orange Sulphur

- Lyside Sulphur

- Queen

- Soldier

- Tawny Emperor

- Pipevine Solitaire

- Zebra Heliconian

- Crimson Patch

- White Peacock

- Banded Peacock

- Erato Helicoian

Dragonflies

- Roseate Skimmer

- Carmine Skimmer

- Red Saddlebags

Western Diamond Back Rattlesnake

Texas Spiny Lizard

Blue Spiny Lizard

Whip Tail Lizard

Eastern Cottontail Rabbit

Long Billed Thrasher

Great tailed Grackle

Bronzed Cowbird

Plain Chacalaca

Altamira Oriole

Inca Dove

White Winged Dove

Cave Swallow

Couch's Kingbird

Golden fronted Woodpecker

Turkey Vulture

Black Vulture

Yellow billed Cuckoo

Green Jay

Black Crested Titmouse

Northern Mockingbird

Green Kingfisher

Greater Roadrunner

Common Ground Dove

Mourning Dove

Northern Beardless Tyrannulet

Scissor Tailed Flycatcher

Great Kiskadee

Northern Cardinal

Gray Hawk

House Sparrow

Buff Bellied Hummingbird

Mystery Oriole...subsequently identified by Melissa's expert network as an early migrant Orchard Oriole